This site hopefully can provide some vehicle by which I can comment, complain, and once in a while praise the state of religion in this country and around the world from a liberal protestant perspective.

Saturday, December 06, 2008

Disciple's Non-Creedalism

Get Religion has a piece on a pub church that is looking to affiliate with the Disciples of Christ because it's non creedal and a recognizable protestant denomination. What followed were snide comments about the 60s, liberalism, and creeds.

My response: The Disciples of Christ’s non creedalism is not a new thing, it helps define almost all of the Stone-Cambellite churches since they originated. It doesn’t mean that individuals don’t have religious beliefs or that congregations don’t have a general sensibility.

To be non creedal simply means that there are no tests for membership, outside affirming that Jesus is the son of God, thus the slogan “No Creed, But Christ.” This is not a uniquely liberal sentiment. It’s a basic and historic presupposition of a range of protestant bodies.

And while he Disciples may not be the most recognized name in Protestantism, they do include folks like the head of the NCC and other noted religious leaders. We hardly deserve to be dismissed in the way that this piece and the following comments have done.

It seems worth pointing out that Creed is the Latin word for believe. To be non-creedal means that you have no specific beliefs.

Funnily, this blog spends a lot of time denigrating and criticising particular beliefs.

What protestant bodies "historically" have no creed outside believing Jesus to be the Son of God? You must have an extremely short perspective of "historically".

Anyway, even the most liberal denominations have a creed, whether they write it down or not. This blog wouldn't be here unless you have a creed - unless you have something to say about "I believe....".

OrthodoxYou're playing a semantics game. Yes we all have beliefs. The creeds though are understood to be common statements of faith, binding on the individuals of a given religious group. In that the Disciples of Christ has no creed. But there are plenty of beliefs in our churches.